Perspiration is the primary means of thermoregulation for the human body, during which sweat (mainly composed of water) is secreted through the skin and evaporation of the fluid removes the heat from the surface underneath. During intensive activity, accumulated sweat can drastically increase the humidity level surrounding the skin, which can result in a very uncomfortable feeling unless sweat is efficiently removed. Moisture control fabrics can confine the moisture distribution in the fabric structure for various applications. Among them, one application is sweat-proof material that controls and prevents the moisture from showing on the external surface.
There are many methods currently utilized to sweat-proof materials. Common methods include the incorporation of a thin plastic film to prevent water movement across layers (e.g. Thompson Tee, www.thompsontee.com), but thin plastic films tend to inhibit the air flow through the materials and increase the rigidity of the fabric, which can cause wearer discomfort. An alternative method to using plastic materials is the use of hydrophobic coatings (i.e., fluoropolymer, silicone, and wax) to prevent liquid movement through the material. Coatings and fabric finishes provide a more breathable and comfortable alternative to plastic films. Technology such as 3xDRY (Schoeller Textile, see WO2002075038A3) implements hydrophobic treatments only on the outside surface of the material to prevent liquids from penetrating through the thickness of the fabric. The outside coating allows perspiration or other liquids from the inside surface to partially absorb through the thickness of the fabric but not become visible on the outside of the garment. However, the inside of this fabric can reach full saturation and the garment can cling to the wearer and cause discomfort.
Incorporating inherently hydrophobic materials into the overall structure is another method to create sweat-proof materials. In some fabric products, like Silic™ and ThreadSmith™, the fabric is completely non-absorbent (e.g., hydrophobic) and prevents liquid from passing through the fabric. However, this technology leads to wearer discomfort due to perspiration remaining on the skin surface.
Therefore, a need exists for articles with improved moisture control capacity. A fabric structure with sweat-proof function that can prevent full saturation, reduce garment cling and achieve quick drying properties would be ideal and largely improve wearer comfort. Such articles would be able to control the movement of moisture (e.g., a bodily fluid, such as sweat) from the inside to the outside to keep the outside dry while removing the moisture from the surface of the skin and keeping the wearer comfortable. These articles can find use, e.g., in fabrics for garments, sheets, and other accessories.